Chao Pho Kuan U

Devotees of the Chao Pho Kuan U shrine carry a statue through exploding firecrackers during a street procession marking the annual vegetarian festival in Phang Nga, Thailand, on Thursday. The festival, featuring face-piercing, spirit mediums and strict vegetarianism celebrates the local Chinese community’s belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind.